title: Acceptability of a reflective e-portfolio instituted in an orthodontic specialist programme: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to highlight students' and mentors' acceptability of a reflective e-portfolio instituted in a postgraduate orthodontic programme in the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  A reflective e-portfolio was developed on the basis of principles provided by a literature search and was piloted for 2 months with six students and seven mentors. At the end of the experience, mentors' and students' acceptability of the e-portfolio with a reflective component was studied using questionnaires. The data were analysed using basic quantitative and qualitative methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students' response highlighted acceptability issues related to each aspect of the e-portfolio derived from the literature: relevance of the e-portfolio reflective part; time required for the process; support and mentoring; the implementation method; and the electronic medium. Mentors showed a more positive attitude towards the e-portfolio, expressing only some concerns about the time involved in using it. Furthermore, the analysis of the data highlighted some other acceptability matters: the specificity of the e-portfolio, the communication amongst students and the relationship between students and mentors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The future successful implementation of the reflective e-portfolio will depend on the productive management of the acceptability issues identified by students and mentors, in particular:(i)the specificity of the e-portfolio that would avoid its overlapping with other part of the programme;(ii)the increasing communication amongst students to improve their knowledge of the reflective writing process; and (iii)the development of a relationship between students and mentors helping to create the appropriate environment for reflection.
authors.affiliation: University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. itonni@med.unibs.it
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tonni
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Oliver
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D009970:Orthodontics / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013335:Students, Dental; D014956:Writing
keywords: e-portfolio; orthodontics; reflection